Under State Bank of Pakistan BPRD Circular Letter No. 20 of 2024, banks and microfinance banks must install CCTV cameras of at least 5 megapixels, with suitable storage and wiring for round-the-clock recording, at all critical points in and around their branches. Existing branches in Tier-1 cities and high-risk areas had to comply by 31 March 2025, while new and renovated branches must meet the standard as they are built, and each bank's SOPs must define camera locations, image quality and how long footage is kept.
This guide explains the current SBP CCTV requirements for banks, including the separate rules for cash deposit machines, and what they mean for branch security teams planning upgrades. It summarises public SBP instructions and press coverage; your compliance team should always work from the circulars themselves on the SBP website.
SBP CCTV requirements for banks: the 2024 circular
SBP issued BPRD Circular Letter No. 20 of 2024, titled "Improvement in Operations of CCTVs", on 10 October 2024. It revised Circular Letter No. 31 of 2022, which had asked for cameras of at least 6 megapixels. After feedback from the industry, SBP set the minimum at 5 megapixels instead, together with the allied equipment needed to record continuously.
The key points of the circular are:
- Minimum resolution: CCTV cameras of at least 5MP, supported by appropriate storage devices and wiring for round-the-clock surveillance.
- Existing branches: installation at all critical points of branches in Tier-1 cities and high-risk geographies by 31 March 2025.
- New and renovated branches: all new branches, and existing branches renovated under the normal annual budget plan, must use the new standard.
- Other branches: banks may choose to roll out the upgrade across the rest of their network sooner.
- Internal SOPs: banks must update their SOPs to prescribe and standardise camera installation points, the minimum preservation period for recordings, and camera quality, including minimum resolution.
- Existing instructions: other security-related instructions from earlier circulars remain in force.
What counts as a critical point
SBP leaves the detailed list to each bank's SOP but names examples: ATM vestibules, branch entrances and vantage points outside the branch. In practice, bank security SOPs usually also cover:
- Cash counters and teller areas, with a clear view of cash handling
- Strong room and vault doors, and locker areas
- Cash-in-transit loading and unloading points
- Customer service halls and waiting areas
- Emergency exits, back doors and staff entrances
- Server and UPS rooms
- External approaches, parking and the street frontage
Camera choice should follow the purpose of each view. Entrances need faces identifiable against bright daylight, which calls for good wide dynamic range. Cash counters need enough detail to see notes and hands. External cameras need reliable night performance. A 5MP sensor does not guarantee usable evidence if the lens, angle or lighting is wrong.
Retention periods: ATMs, cash centres and CDMs
The 2024 circular asks banks to set minimum preservation periods in their SOPs rather than fixing one figure. Other SBP instructions already set specific periods for cash operations:
- ATMs, cash processing centres and cash-feeding branches: SBP standardised the preservation period for video recordings at 60 days in 2017, with recordings kept until any dispute is finally settled.
- Cash deposit machines (CDMs): in September 2025, SBP's Payment Systems Policy and Oversight Department told banks to install CCTV covering CDM areas and keep recordings for at least 60 days, or until a customer dispute is resolved. The same instruction asks banks to equip at least 25% of their branches with CDMs by 2028.
SBP's currency management penalty schedule also lists penalties where 60 days of CCTV recording are not available, so retention is checked during inspections, not only on paper.
What the requirements mean for your branch network
| Area | SBP requirement | Practical implication |
|---|---|---|
| Cameras | At least 5MP at all critical points | Replace older analogue and low-resolution IP cameras; check lenses and field of view, not only megapixels |
| Recording | Round-the-clock surveillance with appropriate storage | Size NVR storage for the higher bitrate of 5MP streams across the full retention period |
| Retention | Defined in SOPs; 60 days for ATMs, cash centres and CDMs | Plan for 60 days as a floor and keep disputed footage longer |
| Coverage | Entrances, ATM vestibules, outside vantage points and other SOP points | Standard camera layouts per branch type, audited against the SOP |
| Timeline | Tier-1 and high-risk branches by 31 March 2025; new and renovated branches on build | Phase the rest of the network through annual renovation budgets |
Storage is where upgrades often fall short
Moving from lower-resolution cameras to 5MP increases the data each camera produces. Storage needed is roughly the bitrate of each camera multiplied by the recording hours and the number of retention days, summed across all cameras. H.265 compression, smart codecs and motion-based recording reduce the load, but a branch recorder sized for older cameras will usually not hold 60 days of 5MP footage. Recorders should also have RAID or equivalent protection so one failed disk does not lose weeks of evidence.
Health monitoring and central oversight
Compliance depends on cameras actually recording. Across hundreds of branches, a central video management system or health-monitoring tool that flags offline cameras, full disks, recording gaps and tampering is far more reliable than manual checks. It also helps security teams answer SBP inspection queries quickly. Time synchronisation across recorders matters when footage is needed to match ATM or CDM transaction logs.
Planning a compliant CCTV upgrade
- Update the SOP first: branch categories, critical points, minimum resolution and retention periods.
- Survey a sample of each branch type to confirm camera positions, cabling and recorder condition.
- Standardise a camera and recorder bill of materials per branch type so rollouts are quick and consistent.
- Size storage for 5MP streams and the longest retention period that applies, including CDM and ATM areas.
- Add central health monitoring and a clear process for preserving footage when a dispute is raised.
- Keep records of installation, commissioning and periodic checks for audit and inspection.
Bank networks need rollouts that are consistent across hundreds of sites. Resco's banking work includes delivering Virdi biometric attendance across more than 2,250 HBL branches, described in our HBL attendance and access control project. You can read more about our approach on the banking and financial services page and our CCTV and video surveillance service.
Frequently asked questions
What camera resolution does SBP require for bank branches?
Under BPRD Circular Letter No. 20 of 2024, banks and microfinance banks must install CCTV cameras of at least 5 megapixels at critical points in and around branches, with suitable storage and wiring for round-the-clock recording. This replaced the earlier 6MP requirement.
What was the deadline for the SBP 5MP CCTV requirement?
Existing branches in Tier-1 cities and high-risk geographies had to comply by 31 March 2025. New branches, and existing branches renovated under the annual budget plan, must meet the standard when built or renovated.
How long must banks keep CCTV footage in Pakistan?
SBP asks banks to set minimum preservation periods in their SOPs. For ATMs, cash processing centres and cash deposit machine areas, SBP instructions require at least 60 days, and longer where a dispute is still open.
Do cash deposit machines need CCTV coverage?
Yes. SBP's 2025 instructions on CDMs require banks to install CCTV covering CDM areas and retain recordings for at least 60 days, or until any customer dispute is resolved.
Resco has designed, supplied, installed and maintained security systems in Pakistan since 1990, with offices in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. If you are planning a branch CCTV upgrade to meet SBP requirements, request a proposal or contact us on +92 21 36378960-2 or info@resco.com.pk.